###### 2023-10-08 A bus factor is a measure of the risk and dependency on an individual or a small group of individuals within a project or organization. It refers to the number of key people who would need to be incapacitated (e.g., hit by a bus) before a project or organization cannot continue functioning effectively. The term "bus factor" is often used in software development or project management contexts. If only one or few individuals possess critical knowledge, skills, or responsibilities, then the project or organization has a high bus factor. This means that if those key people were suddenly unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances like illness, resignation, or accidents, it could significantly impact the progress and continuity of the work. Having a high bus factor poses risks such as delays, loss of productivity, decreased quality, and increased costs. To mitigate this risk, organizations may implement strategies like knowledge sharing initiatives, cross-training employees, documenting processes and procedures, ensuring redundancy in key roles, and maintaining effective communication channels among team members. The term "bus factor" serves as a reminder for organizations to distribute knowledge and responsibility more evenly across teams to minimize dependence on any single individual.